Across
1 Concern when merging
10 Texas river diverted into the Red Bluff Reservoir
15 Museum download
16 Dippy
17 Stranger in many a family holiday photo
18 Cake made from ground nuts
19 “While I Was Gone” novelist Miller
20 Becomes, finally
22 “High Anxiety” actress
23 Say further
24 Corps member
26 Metered fleet
29 Treatment plant input
32 “The Cube” network
34 Delighted toddler’s demand
36 “Jinkies!”
37 Time worth studying
38 Gruff prescription for a minor injury
41 “Glad to hear it!”
42 Aspect
43 Branch of Islam
44 Org. whose members take hikes?
45 Mets slugger Pete who holds the record for most home runs by a rookie
47 Benefit
48 Irredeemable
50 Word of invitation
52 Cheese paired with kalamata olives
53 Do more than listen
56 __ diavolo sauce
59 #LiveUplifted sneakers brand
61 Arthroscopic procedure that may follow an MRI of the knee
63 McNairy of “Halt and Catch Fire”
64 Ride between runs
65 Buttonlike flower
66 Setting for some unboxing videos

Down
1 Some carpentry noises
2 Party with poke
3 Between jobs
4 Bupkis
5 Gave a shot, say
6 Efforts at resistance
7 Spot for a koi or a decoy
8 Ballpark figure
9 Emergency gear
10 Depression
11 Miso soup mushroom
12 Road show necessity?
13 Flirting with
14 Camille Pag n’s “Woman Last __ in Her Thirties”
21 “Your table’s ready” device
23 Warts and all
25 Relies (on)
26 Whoopi’s birth name
27 Drink often flavored with hibiscus
28 Aveeno product
30 Peer-to-peer sharing?
31 Add capacity to, in a way
33 French composer who influenced Ravel
35 Diet food choice
39 Some mechanical connectors
40 Dethrone
46 Egyptian god invoked in “The Magic Flute”
49 __ al pastor
51 Disinclined to form compounds
52 Media __: unplugged period
54 Sign of hollowness
55 “Proof” or “Doubt”
56 “Point taken”
57 Abounding (with)
58 Review-heavy newspaper section
60 Trough spot
62 Gp. central to the 1993 Oslo Accords

Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation Director J.D. Strong resigned effective immediately. The decision was accepted unanimously by the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission, the agency’s advisory, administrative and policy-making body.
Strong was the Department’s 18th Director and had served as Director since 2016. ODWC Assistant Director Wade Free was named Interim Director by the Commission.
We greatly appreciate the past seven years of leadership and service that J.D. has provided during his tenure with the Department of Wildlife Conservation, and we wish he and his family all of the very best in their future endeavors.
“After much prayer, and after more than 31 years of state service, I have decided to step down as Director of the ODWC, effective immediately.
This decision is bittersweet. I have loved every minute of working alongside the wonderful people that comprise the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, watching them passionately and skillfully nurture a better environment for our fish and wildlife, and for the Oklahomans who get to enjoy them. Our state is unquestionably better because of ODWC’s dedicated team of professionals, and I thank them for the privilege of working alongside them for these past seven years.
Having been ODWC Director for the past seven years, I’m extremely proud of what we have accomplished together. As with previous exits, I’ve always tried to leave with no regrets, as well as to leave the woodpile higher than I found it. My hope and belief are this is the case here.
I have no doubt that ODWC’s future is bright, and I will be cheering for the continued success of the Department every step of the way.”– J.D. Strong, Former Director of ODWC

By Nick Thomas

For those who keep track of Hollywood nuptials, the title of Joyce Bulifant’s 2017 autobiography may not represent a marital world record, but it’s certainly an attention grabber. The actress, who co-starred in TV series such as “Flo” and “Mary Tyler Moore,” recounted her life and career in “My Four Hollywood Husbands.”
Bulifant describes how alcohol influenced her four hubbies: “Hawaii Five-O” star James (“Danno”) MacArthur; TV/film producer, director, and screenwriter William Asher; “Days of Our Lives” actor Edward Mallory; and her last husband actor Roger Perry who died in 2018.
“It was never my intention to marry famous Hollywood men, it just happened that way,” said Bulifant from Los Angeles. “I was 14 when I first met Jimmy (MacArthur) while we were at boarding school together and we started dating a couple of years later.”
She remembers her spouses as unhappy men especially MacArthur in their decade-long marriage.
“When he wasn’t working, he would drink more and it became a terrible situation,” she said. “I thought if I just loved them enough they wouldn’t need to drink and would become happy, but it just didn’t work that way.”
She remained happily married to her last husband Roger Perry although he too experienced some early rough patches. “He wanted to get better, so that’s why this marriage worked,” she said.
Career-wise, Bulifant has been successful on stage as well as in film and television, and was a frequent game show panelist in the 70s and 80s. She even appeared briefly in the classic 1980 comedy “Airplane!” as the mother of the sick little girl with the intravenous drip.
“I didn’t want to do that dadgum movie, I thought it was so silly,” she recalled. “I was married to William Asher at the time and he told me ‘You’re an actress – you act!’ Now it’s been called one of the 100 funniest movies ever made.”
But one major TV role did slip past.
“I was all signed, sealed, and delivered to play Mrs. Brady on ‘The Brady Bunch,’” she recalled. “One Friday, I was showing the director and producer (and writer, Sherwood Schwartz) my wardrobe but they were acting very strange. When I asked what was wrong they sat me down and said the executives at ABC in New York wanted Florence Henderson for the role.”
Schwartz called that evening confirming the bad news. “That’s the way it goes in this business,” said Bulifant. “Florence was a wonderful actress and a lovely lady.”
Concentrating on TV work, Bulifant only appeared in about a dozen films. Her first main feature role was in the 1967 Disney musical “The Happiest Millionaire,” memorable for her “Bye-Yum Pum Pum” song with Lesley Ann Warren. It would be the last live-action feature produced by Disney, who died a year before the film’s release.
Bulifant’s radiant cheerful on-screen personality and distinctive youthful voice made her a favorite comedic actress with audiences. Despite some missed career opportunities and the marital challenges, she has always remained optimistic.
“When you’re in the entertainment business, you have to deal with disappointment and rejection so if you don’t feel strong and confident about yourself it can be very disheartening,” she says. “That’s true for anyone with self-doubt which is why my book resonates with people from all walks of life. So I’m very pleased when I hear from people it has helped.”

Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Alabama, and has written features, columns, and interviews for numerous newspapers and magazines.
See https://www.getnickt.org/.

By Marilyn Olson, Executive Director, VillagesOKC

VillagesOKC has exciting member and staff news as the New Year begins. On the staff side, there are two promotions to announce. On the member side, one member has accepted the position of VillagesOKC Director of Veteran Initiatives, and another will lead a monthly Alzheimer Support Group at the Bethany Library.
Amy Shirola, previously operations manager, assumes a new role as director of administration and finance. Britni Bergman, previously office assistant, becomes office manager. On the member side, Gary Banz is the new Director of Veteran Initiatives. Herb Magley will lead the Alzheimer Support Group.
Shirola will oversee all accounting functions, including analyzing financial data and managing budgeting and planning processes. She started working with VillagesOKC in March 2022 after 15 years in corporate accounting. Her entrepreneurial experiences include two food-based businesses – Pie Prerogative OKC and 2 Women and a Whisk Catering Company.
Bergman will oversee all office functions and vendor relations, as well as managing the robust VillagesOKC calendar. She has been the office assistant since November 2022. Her past experience includes six years in a variety of roles with Red Rock Behavioral and Mental Health Services in Yukon and Oklahoma City. Before coming to VillagesOKC, she was office manager for Sarah Libby Photography.
“The promotion of these two professionals highlights their exemplary performance,” said VillagesOKC Executive Director Marilyn Olson. “Ms Shirola and Ms Bergman are part of the organization’s long-term plan for sustainability. Having an intergenerational workforce brings energy and wisdom. And, with this organization there is great work flexibility which is so important to young parents. VillagesOKC is making great strides due to the talent and heart from these leaders, and we honor their success.”
Banz is a former Oklahoma state representative and high school social studies and American Government teacher. He was honored by the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame for organizing and serving as flight commander on 24 Oklahoma Honor Flights which took 2,055 Oklahoma World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans to Washington, DC, for an all-expenses paid day trip to visit war memorials. He has written and produced two documentaries honoring service members and is working on a third.
Magley is a retired geologist who spent 43 years working in the oil industry. Tragedy struck late in his career when after 35 years of marriage, his wife, Gail, developed Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 54. Magley retired from the oil industry to care for her. The couple went on an 11-year journey with the disease. After his wife died, Magley decided to dedicate his life to those who were on their journeys with Alzheimer’s. The VillagesOKC sponsored Alzheimer’s Support Group will meet monthly beginning January 16 at the Bethany Library. Meetings will be on successive third Tuesdays of the month from 6-7 p.m. in Meeting Room B.
To learn more about VillagesOKC, call or text (405) 990-6637 or email [email protected].

VA delivered more than $2.2 billion in earned benefits to Veterans and survivors since President Biden signed PACT into law

Today, VA announced that Veterans and their survivors have filed more than one million claims for toxic exposure-related benefits under the PACT Act since President Biden signed it into law Aug. 10, 2022. VA has processed more than 551,000 of these claims, granting 77.9% of them and awarding more than $2.2 billion in earned benefits to Veterans and survivors. Supporting Veterans and their families is a core pillar in President Biden’s Unity Agenda for the nation, and today’s announcement helps deliver on his promise to comprehensively address military related toxic exposure.

Thanks to the largest outreach campaign in VA history, Veterans and survivors are applying for their earned benefits at record rates. In this fiscal year alone, Veterans and survivors have submitted 2.29 million total claims (PACT and non-PACT) — 40.4% more year-to-date than last fiscal year, which was the previous all-time record. Veterans have also submitted more than 2.1 million “intents to file” during this fiscal year — 53.1% more than all of last fiscal year and also an all-time record.

The PACT Act is the biggest expansion of Veteran health care and benefits in decades. VA encourages all eligible Veterans and survivors to file a claim — or submit their intent to file a claim — for PACT Act-related benefits now.

“Thanks to President Biden, the heroes who fought for our country are now getting health care and compensation for the conditions that followed them home from war,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “We’re proud that more than one million Veterans and survivors have applied for their hard-earned benefits to date, but this is just the beginning — and we won’t rest until every Veteran and every survivor gets the VA health care and benefits they deserve.”

Partly due to the PACT Act, VA is delivering more care and more benefits to more Veterans than ever before. Key results to date include:

• Delivering benefits to Veterans and their survivors: VA has processed 1.85 million total Veteran claims (PACT and non-PACT) thus far in this fiscal year —15.7% more to date than last fiscal year and already surpassing last year’s all-time record total of 1.7 million claims processed.
• Increasing Veteran access to health care: Since Aug. 10, 378,995 Veterans have enrolled in VA health care. This includes more than 158,691 enrollees from the PACT Act population (Vietnam, Gulf War, and Post-9/11 era Veterans).
• Screening Veterans for toxic exposures: More than 4.4 million enrolled Veterans have received 5-minute screenings for toxic exposures from VA under the PACT Act.

Right now, there is also a special enrollment period for Veterans to enroll directly in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits. Specifically, until 11:59 p.m., local time, Sept. 30, Veterans who deployed to a combat zone, never enrolled in VA health care, and left active duty between Sept. 11, 2001, and Oct. 1, 2013, are eligible to enroll in VA health care without first applying for disability compensation benefits. VA encourages all of these Veterans to visit VA.gov/PACT or call 1-800-MYVA411 to learn more and sign up for VA health care before the deadline.

VA is delivering health care and benefits at record rates partly due to a dramatic increase in hiring at VA. For the first time in VA’s history, the Veterans Health Administration has over 400,000 employees and the Veterans Benefits Administration has over 31,000 employees — and both organizations are growing at the fastest rates in 20 years. Moving forward, VA will continue to modernize and expand capacity to deliver health care and benefits to Veterans as quickly and effectively as possible.

For more information on VA’s implementation of the PACT Act, visit the PACT Act Dashboard. VA is publishing this dashboard every other Friday to document the implementation of this legislation and showcase its impact on Veterans and survivors. The next dashboard, which will reflect the data in this release, will publish on Sept. 15.

Veterans and survivors may apply or learn more about the PACT Act by visiting VA.gov/PACT or calling 1-800-MYVA411.

Loved all the entries. Let’s do it again! We have an ALL NEW CARTOON PAGE! Beetle Bailey, Blondie and Zit will be gracing our NewsMagazine and your job will be to locate TOONS related to those cartoons! You already know the routine. TOONS are scattered throughout this issue. Count the related TOONS and TEXT the total number, with your name and phone number, to 405-631-5100. 1st and 2nd texter with correct number, WINS a free one year subscription to SN&L ($43.75 value each) PLUS a $25 gift card! 3rd place wins a $25 Gift Card! All entries will receive a free copy of our digital Flip Page Edition of SN&L each month (you must provide an email address)! Everyone’s a winner! TOONS are not hidden, but look in stories, ads and features!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Contest begins January 5th and ends January 31! No entries will be accepted prior to 01/05/24.

* No purchase necessary * Must provide email address for digital edition. * FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS – Even with more than 500 locations to pick up a copy, you just can sit back and wait for your personal
copy – mailed first class directly to you!

Dear Savvy Senior, My siblings and I don’t know much about our elderly parent’s financial situation or their wishes if and when something happens to them. They are both in their mid-eighties. What’s the best way to handle this and what all should we know? Apprehensive Daughter

Dear Apprehensive,
Many adult children don’t know much about their elderly parent’s financial situation or end-of-life plans, but they need to. Getting up to speed on their finances, insurance policies, long-term care plans and other information is important because some day you might have to help them handle their financial affairs or care, or execute their estate plan after they die. Without this information, your job becomes much more difficult. Here are some tips that can help.
Have the Conversation
If you’re uncomfortable talking to your parents about this, use this column as a prompt or see https://theconversationproject.org/, which offers free guides that can help you kick-start these discussions.
It’s also a good idea to get all your siblings involved too. This can help you head off any possible hard feelings, plus, with others involved, your parents will know everyone is concerned.
When you talk with your parents, you’ll need to collect some information, find out where they keep key documents and how they want certain things handled when they die or if they become incapacitated. Here’s a checklist of areas to focus on.
PERSONAL INFORMATION: Contacts: Make a list of names and phone numbers of your parent’s doctors, lawyer, accountant, broker, tax preparer, insurance agent, etc. Medical information: Make a copy of their medical history and a list of medications they take. Personal documents: Find out where they keep their Social Security card, marriage license, military discharge papers, etc.
Secured places: Make a list of places they keep under lock and key such as safe deposit boxes, safe combination, security alarms, etc. Digital assets: Make a list of their digital assets – everything from social media accounts to online banking. It should include usernames and passwords. Pets: If they have a pet, what are their instructions for the animal’s care? End of life: What are their wishes for organ or body donation, and their funeral instructions? If they’ve made pre-arrangements with a funeral home, get a copy of the agreement.
LEGAL DOCUMENTS: Will: Do they have an updated will or trust, and where is it located? Power of attorney: Do they have a power of attorney document that names someone to handle their financial matters if they become incapacitated? Advance directives: Do they have a living will and a medical power of attorney that spells out their wishes regarding their end-of-life medical treatment? If they don’t have these documents prepared, now’s the time to make them.
FINANCIAL RECORDS: Financial accounts: Make a list of their bank accounts, brokerage and mutual fund accounts, and any other financial assets they have. Debts and liabilities: Make a list of any loans, leases or debts they have – mortgages owed, car loans, student loans, medical bills, credit card debts. Also, make a list of all credit and charge cards, including the card numbers and contact information. Company benefits: Make a list of any retirement plans, pensions or benefits from their former employers including the contact information of the benefits administrator. Insurance: Make a list of the insurance policies they have (life, long-term care, home, auto, Medicare, etc.) including the policy numbers, agents and phone numbers. Property: Make a list of the real estate, vehicles or other properties they own, rent or lease and where they keep the deeds, titles and loan or lease agreements. Taxes: Find out where they keep copies of past year’s tax returns.
You’re probably not going to get all this figured out in one gathering, so it’s important to keep the conversation going to ensure your parent’s wishes will be accurately executed.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

Good news: This year’s flu vaccine appears to be particularly effective at preventing severe cases.
Bad news: Only about 40% of Americans eligible for flu shots have received one.
More good news: There’s still time to get protected before the virus peaks in Oklahoma, said Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation physician-scientist Hal Scofield, M.D.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, influenza affects, on average, about 8% of the U.S. population each year. The virus annually kills about 35,000 Americans and sends another 450,000 to the hospital. Young children, people 65 years and older, and those with chronic medical conditions such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes are at greatest risk of severe disease.
“In the Southern Hemisphere, flu season runs about six months ahead of ours, which provides us with a window into the severity and most common strain as well as the effectiveness of the vaccine,” said Scofield, who also is associate chief of staff for research at the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center.
“This year, the vaccine appears to be a great match for the virus,” Scofield said. “Although complete data isn’t available yet, Australian health authorities reported that this year’s vaccine significantly reduced the risk of ending up in the doctor’s office from the flu.”
According to the CDC, pharmacies and doctor’s offices had administered about 51 million doses of adult vaccine as of Nov. 25 – 13% below the same time last year. Similarly, the percentage of U.S. children who had received flu shots through early December was lower than at the same time for the past four years.
A survey conducted in August by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases found 65% agreement among American adults that an annual flu shot is the best prevention, yet 43% didn’t plan to get one or were unsure if they would get one this year. Among those in the latter group, 32% cited concern about side effects.
The most common flu vaccine side effects are soreness, redness or swelling at the injection site, and sometimes, low-grade fever. But, according to OMRF Executive Vice President & Chief Medical Officer Judith James, M.D., Ph.D., none of this is cause for alarm. “It’s your body developing protective immunity, and compared to contracting the flu, it’s nothing.”
James added that many fear getting a flu shot can cause the flu.
“The vaccine is made from proteins, not the virus,” said James, a member of the National Academy of Medicine and chair of OMRF’s Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Research Program. “It isn’t possible to get the flu from the vaccine.”
She noted that the flu vaccine typically reaches full effectiveness in two weeks. As of the first week of December, Oklahoma flu activity is low, but increasing. According to the CDC, flu rates are high in neighboring states of Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado, and rising in Arkansas.
“Vaccination is your best defense, along with practicing smart health hygiene,” James said. “Stay home if you feel ill, wash your hands frequently and cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough.”

Across
1 Concern when merging
10 Texas river diverted into the Red Bluff Reservoir
15 Museum download
16 Dippy
17 Stranger in many a family holiday photo
18 Cake made from ground nuts
19 “While I Was Gone” novelist Miller
20 Becomes, finally
22 “High Anxiety” actress
23 Say further
24 Corps member
26 Metered fleet
29 Treatment plant input
32 “The Cube” network
34 Delighted toddler’s demand
36 “Jinkies!”
37 Time worth studying
38 Gruff prescription for a minor injury
41 “Glad to hear it!”
42 Aspect
43 Branch of Islam
44 Org. whose members take hikes?
45 Mets slugger Pete who holds the record for most home runs by a rookie
47 Benefit
48 Irredeemable
50 Word of invitation
52 Cheese paired with kalamata olives
53 Do more than listen
56 __ diavolo sauce
59 #LiveUplifted sneakers brand
61 Arthroscopic procedure that may follow an MRI of the knee
63 McNairy of “Halt and Catch Fire”
64 Ride between runs
65 Buttonlike flower
66 Setting for some unboxing videos

Down
1 Some carpentry noises
2 Party with poke
3 Between jobs
4 Bupkis
5 Gave a shot, say
6 Efforts at resistance
7 Spot for a koi or a decoy
8 Ballpark figure
9 Emergency gear
10 Depression
11 Miso soup mushroom
12 Road show necessity?
13 Flirting with
14 Camille Pag n’s “Woman Last __ in Her Thirties”
21 “Your table’s ready” device
23 Warts and all
25 Relies (on)
26 Whoopi’s birth name
27 Drink often flavored with hibiscus
28 Aveeno product
30 Peer-to-peer sharing?
31 Add capacity to, in a way
33 French composer who influenced Ravel
35 Diet food choice
39 Some mechanical connectors
40 Dethrone
46 Egyptian god invoked in “The Magic Flute”
49 __ al pastor
51 Disinclined to form compounds
52 Media __: unplugged period
54 Sign of hollowness
55 “Proof” or “Doubt”
56 “Point taken”
57 Abounding (with)
58 Review-heavy newspaper section
60 Trough spot
62 Gp. central to the 1993 Oslo Accords